The present invention relates to a vehicle grab handle and coat hook assembly.
A conventional grab handle used in automobiles is pivotally attached to the vehicle on the vehicle roof rail. A hinge supports the grab handle for pivotal movement between a stored position adjacent the vehicle roof rail and an operative position pivoted downward and spaced apart from the vehicle roof rail. The grab handle is typically spring biased so that it normally stays in the stored position. When the grab handle is pivoted downward to the operative position, it can be grasped by a vehicle occupant to help support or steady the vehicle occupant.
Some automobiles also have one or more coat hooks for hanging a garment. The coat hook is typically permanently affixed to the vehicle roof rail, sometimes near or together with the grab handle. The coat hook may also be of a type that pivots downward from a stored position into an operative position.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for connection with a vehicle portion adjacent a vehicle occupant compartment. The apparatus comprises a grab handle and a grab handle hinge. The grab handle hinge supports the grab handle for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle portion between a grab handle stored position adjacent the vehicle portion and a grab handle operative position spaced apart from the vehicle portion. A cap blocks visibility of part of the grab handle hinge from the vehicle occupant compartment when the grab handle is in the grab handle stored position. A cap hinge supports the cap for pivotal movement between a cap stored position covering the part of the grab handle hinge and a cap operative position spaced apart from the vehicle portion and from the part of the grab handle hinge. The cap has a portion adapted to support a garment when the cap is in the cap operative position.